U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has introduced legislation in Congress intended to ensure that women receive an ultrasound and an opportunity to review the study before giving informed consent to receive an abortion.
The bill, called the Heartbeat Informed Consent Act, would require that abortion providers make the fetal heartbeat visible through ultrasound, describe the cardiac activity, and make the fetal heartbeat audible to the woman if the fetus is old enough for it to be detectable.
An abortion provider who knowingly or recklessly fails to comply with any provision of the act would be assessed a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for each violation. The court would also notify the appropriate state medical licensing authority.
Second and subsequent offenses would also be reported to the appropriate state medical licensing authority and be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $250,000 for each such violation.
In addition, a woman who received an abortion in violation of the act or the parent or legal guardian of an unemancipated minor may commence a civil action against the abortion provider for actual and punitive damages, according to the proposed bill.
The bill has 29 original co-sponsors and can be read here.
